Memorial
by Bloody Sunrise
Summary: Kakashi blames himself for the destruction of team 7. Can Sakura help him move on with his life? ONESHOT


**AN: This is another one-shot that I had rolling around my mind. I hope you like it. **

**AN 2: I know I promised to update Hollow but this just seemed to write itself so I felt obligated to post it. I will update Hollow soon.**

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_**Prologue**_

_Kakashi stood in the middle of a battle, fending off dozens of sound nins__while Naruto and Sakura tried one last time to convince Sasuke to come home. _

_He felt a large amount of chakra gathering some distance behind him. His mouth went dry. He knew what that chakra was._

_Time seemed to slow as he turned to confirm his fears. Sasuke stood there, chidori forming in his hand. Kakashi screamed for Sakura to run but she seemed to be frozen on the spot. The pink-haired medic stood there tears streaming down her face as Sasuke lunged towards her, shoving the blue ball of energy into her chest._

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**3 Months Later**

Kakashi stumbled towards the door to his apartment. He had just returned from another S-Rank mission and he was exhausted. All he wanted to do now was to collapse on his bed and sleep for a month. Though he knew that would never happen.

He had become like a ghost in Konoha, returning only to rest and receive his next mission. The constant string of life-threatening missions were a welcome distraction from his life or more precisely his former life. Team 7 had dissolved, Sasuke had seen to that. He was a failure in his own eyes.

His hand struggled to remain steady as he unlocked his door. He pushed it open and there she was, like always, sitting on his couch. Waiting for him.

He sighed as he looked at his pink-haired former student. He did not have the energy for another one of their discussions. He set his pack down next to the door and trudged past her into his bedroom. She followed him and stood in the doorway to his room with a concerned look gracing her delicate features.

"Are you hurt" she asked softly.

"I'm fine"

He plopped down on the bed and rubbed his hand over his face.

"You can't keep doing this Kakashi. You can't keep punishing yourself."

"I don't want to talk about this now Sakura."

He laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She sighed softly.

"Alright, I'll go now"

And then she was gone. Just like every time before. She only came to him at home. She always said the same thing. And he never listened. But still she came, time after time. He wondered if she would ever give up.

He pulled off his hitae-ate and closed his eyes, praying that tonight his sleep would be dreamless

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He awoke to sunlight filtering though his windows. His dreams had been anything but peaceful. He stumbled to the bathroom and quickly showered. He dressed himself in his usual jonin outfit and made his way to the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee.

There she was again, like always, sitting on his couch, waiting for him. She walked towards him.

"You should eat some breakfast." she said quietly

"I not hungry."

"You need to eat something Kakashi."

She always said the same things.

"How long has it been since you visited the memorial?" she asked

"I can't go back there yet." he said

"It wasn't your fault you know, Sasuke made his own decision." she said, her voice low.

She told him this over and over again but he never could believe her.

He finished his cup of coffee and muttered something about going to see Tsunade. She nodded and left him to himself.

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Two weeks.

Two weeks he been in the village doing nothing.

Tsunade refused to let him go on any missions for at least six. She said he was going to burn out. But if he had to stay in this village any longer he was sure he would go crazy.

She came to him every night saying the same things.

"_When will you visit the memorial?"_

"_You have to stop punishing yourself."_

"_It wasn't your fault."_

"_You need to let go."_

Over and over and over again.

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He sat in the bar, alone, avoiding her. He wasn't sure he could handle hearing those things tonight. He ordered drink after drink until his thoughts became fuzzy. In his alcohol induced stupor he began to think about everything she had said to him.

Maybe she was right, then again maybe that was the sake talking. Her words were beginning to have an affect and that bothered him.

He settled his tab and left the bar, hoping the cool night air would sober him up some. He walked slowly down the streets of Konoha, her words still reverberating in his mind.

Somewhere deep down he knew there was nothing he could have done. But that didn't change the fact that he had failed them.

Somehow during his walk home he had taken a slight detour. He supposed it could have been his subconscious trying to send him a message. But despite that he now found himself right near the memorial. He stood there frozen. He didn't want to go there, but he found himself unable to leave.

Suddenly she was there, staring up at him with her big green eyes. As if she was able to sense to the conflict inside him, she took his hand and walked toward the memorial pulling him behind her.

They both stood in front of the large stone. He refused to look at it, instead staring at the young kunochi beside him. She locked eyes with him, as if trying to will him to believe her.

"What happened wasn't your fault."

Silence

"You cannot keep punishing yourself."

He still would not respond.

"It's time to let go Kakashi."

"…I know." he finally answered.

A single tear rolled down his cheek.

"I have to go now." she said, her voice filled with sadness.

He simply nodded, unable to form words. His eyes closed for a moment and when he opened them again she was gone. Anguish washed over him.

He knew she wouldn't come back this time.

He knelt down to the stone memorial he knew so well. His fingers tracing one of the most recent carvings. Tears flowed freely now as he slowly made out the name.

Haruno Sakura.

**-Fin**

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**So, was it any good? Please review!**

**Also, can anyone tell me if this is the correct spelling for their headband: "hitae-ate"**

**and can anyone help me with the pronunciation?**  



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